Still Struggling Series

TREASURES FROM THE PSALMS WED PM MARCH 27, 2024 CBCKING

Still Struggling!

Psalm 43

Introduction:

Psalm 43 = companion/ sequel to Psalm 42 – same theme – tone – song.

Refrain: v.5 – same 42:5,11

Psalm 42 = Psalmist dealing with a cast down soul (vv.5,6,11) – emotional crisis… heavy heart of discouragement, depression, despair.

Psalm 43 = still struggling (v.5) – battle still raging (v.2)

David = exp a measure of victory only to have the waves of discouragement and depression to come crashing over him again… found himself right back in the same shape he was in before.

Times = we will experience a measure of victory in our lives… temptation, discouragement, personal struggle… only find ourselves right back in the same struggle… fighting same battle… dealing same issues.

Wonder = what is wrong with me? Why can’t I be like everyone else???

Truth = nothing may be wrong with you… everyone else struggles just like you do.

1 Cor. 10:13 – “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Not a temptation, trial, struggle, face in life that someone has not faced before and has gotten the victory!

Reasons Why Still Struggling:

1) Live in a fallen world.

Job 14:1 – “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

Matt. 6:34 – “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

“New Day” = brings with new problems, struggles, temptations, battles, etc…

Also, brings new victories, blessings, opportunities

2) Weakness of the flesh.

Peter = in G. Gethsemane – Jesus asked him to pray with him… came and found him sleeping.

Matt. 26:41 – “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Not Careful = when battle rages – allow old feelings to return… take control of our thoughts… retreat familiar places where we are consumed / self-absorbed with our own thoughts, problems, feelings… shut everyone and everything else out… God!

3) Our own natural makeup or temperament.

How we are made… everyone is wired differently… some people like me, have a melancholier temperament… predisposed or lends itself to discouragement.

Doesn’t mean that God messed up… bad… something wrong with you… simply who you are.

Recognize that trait and utilize God’s principles for victory!

4) Relentless nature of our enemy.

Look: v.1, 2b

“Deceitful and unjust man” = Ahithophel or Absalom

“The oppression of the enemy” = devil still at it.

Luke 4:13 – “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” = enemy may leave us for a season, but he is not going to go away or stay away.

Enemy = going to return.

Your enemy not going to give up and neither should we.

**These may be reasons why we struggle and are defeated but not an excuse to stay defeated!

What do you do when you find yourself still struggling…

1. Recognize that Victory is a Moment-by-Moment Reality!

David = gets the victory in Psalm 42 – then finds himself struggling all over again in Psalm 43… thought I would be over this by now. Here I am right back where I was at.

Just because we experience a victory today doesn’t mean that we will not experience a set back tomorrow.

Christian life = is to be lived daily not weekly, monthly, or yearly… at times we live it moment by moment… have victory one moment and lose it the next.

Good News = opposite is also true – be defeated one moment and have victory the next.

Setbacks = confess our sin, unbelief, failure… in faith begin to put God’s principles for victory to work in our lives.

2. Make Sure You are Thoroughly Right with God!

Look: v.1 – Judge me O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.”

Notice = David asked God to judge him, examine him before he asked him to plead for him.

Principle: “Take God’s side against yourself.”

God cannot fight for you if He has to fight against you.

3. Depend on God’s Strength!

Look: v.2a – “For thou art the God of my strength.”

David = God I’m weak but You are strong.

We will never win the victory in our own strength. Need a strength outside of ourselves.

No match of the enemy… times our problems are greater than we are… Our God is Greater!

Eph. 6:10 – “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Illust: Apostle Paul – thorn in the flesh – prayed 3x’s for God to remove it.